bentley



Patented Aug. i6, I898.

W. BENTLEY.

CASH REGISTER (Application filed Nov. 2, 1896.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

2??? Kiwi Patented Aug. 16, I898. W. BENTLEY.

CASH REGISTER.

(Apglicatian. filed Nov. 2, 1896.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- (N0 Modal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM BENTLEY, OF TORONTO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE REX CASH REGISTERCOMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,384, dated August16, 1898. Application filed November 2, 1896. Serial No. 610,874. (Nomodel.) Patented in Canada January 4, 1897, No. 54,512.

T (ZZZ 1072,0717, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BENTLEY, manufacturer, of the city ofToronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario,

Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCash-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has been patented to me in Canada January 4, 1897, No.54,512.

My invention relates to improvements in cash indicators and registers;and the object of the invention is to produce a machine of this classwhich will be simple, positive, accurate, and effectual in its operationand so I 5 cheap in its manufacture that it maybe sold profitably at amarket price much less than cash-registers now commonly in use 3 and itconsists, essentially, in the simple construction,arrangement,andoperation of the fingerkeys with their coacting registering parts andthe controlling and operating mechanisms of the number-wheels, the bell,and the drawer, as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure 1 is a perspective inside View of one sectionof the register andthe end plates. Fig. 1 is an end elevation, showing the fingerbar andmechanism for operating and controlling the ascent of thevertically-moving registering-bar. Fig. 2 is an outside end view of theframe, portion of the drawer only being shown. Fig. 3 is a perspectivedetail of the peculiarly-formed controlling-spring for each key. Fig. 4is a view of one of the number-wheels with stop device to insure of thewheel being only turned one way to zero.

In the drawings like letters and numerals of reference indicatecorresponding parts in each figure.

A is one end plate of the machine, the end plate at the opposite side ofthe machine being exactly alike.

B is the number-wheel shaft, which extends from end plate to end plateand is suitably journaled therein.

0' is the shaft for supporting the fingerkeys, which also extends fromend plate to end plate.

D is a bar which is secured at the bottom to the end plate and extendsfrom end plate to end plate and forms a rest for the bottom inner end ofthe finger-keys and the bottom of the registeringbar, hereinafterdescribed.

E is a shaft which also extends from end plate to end plate across themachine in proximity with the shaft C.

F is a bar which extends across the machine in proximity to the rear ofthe shaft C, being suitably supported on the end plates.

G is a shaft which is secured at each end in the top of the end platesand extends across the machine.

H and II are the top and bottom guideplates for the vertically-movingbars I of the indicating-tablets J. The guide-plates II and H aresuitably secured at each end to the end plates and are provided with aplurality of notches hand h, in which the verticallymoving bars areheld.

K and K are guide-plates which are provided with notches 76713 to holdthe verticallymoving registering-bars L. The guide-plates K and K extendacross the machine and are suitably secured to the end plates A.

M is a plate which extends across the front of the machine between theend plates, between which it is suitably secured.

Having now described the general construe tion of the frame, I shalldescribe the operation of the finger-key with its coactingmechanism. Itwill of course be understood that each finger-key will be operated inthe same way, as also its coacting mechanism.

M is one of a series of finger-keys which is journaled on the shaft 0and extends forwardly through the casein the usual manner and rearwardlyin the manner shown in the drawings.

E is a plate secured to the cross-bar F and provided with a series ofnotches 6, through which the finger-keys extend, such notches 0 servingto separate the finger-keys at equal distances apart.

N is one of a series of registering-Wheels, in this case thefive-cent-registering wheel. The periphery of the registeringwheel N ispreferably divided into twenty parts or spaces, which contain thenumerals from 5, increasing by five, to 95, the extra space being leftblank.

N is aratchet-wheel, preferablysecured to ICC the face of theregistering-wheel N. The ratchet -wheel N is provided with twenty Iteeth, one of the teeth '11 extending out beyond the points of theremaining teeth.

n is a pin which is inserted in the shaft B and is designed to abut theend of the catch n secured tothe inner periphery of theregistering-wheel N.

N are concavo-convex cross-bars which extend across the machine and arefastened to the end plates. The cross-bars N are provided with notchesthrough which the registering-wheels run, such notches being designed tokeep the registering-wheels equidistant, and consequently theratchetwheels in proper relative position to the finger-keys.

M is a push-dog which is pivotally connected to the finger-key and hasits upper end held in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel Nby means of the spiral spring 0%, attached to the push-dog M and thecrossbar F. Upon each depression of the fingerkey, which has a movementlimited by the rear cross-bar H, against which the rear end of thefinger-key comes in contact, the pushdog moves a sufficient distance toturn the ratchet-wheel, and consequently the registering-wheel, theperipheral distance of one tooth.

I shall now describe the mechanism by which the vertically-drivenregistering-bars L are operated upon each revolution of theregistering-wheel, or, more explicitly, upon the blank of theregistering -wheel being brought opposite to the inspection-slot. Itwill of course be understood in this respect that the registering-wheelin this instance would register ninety-five cents before the change, andwhen the blank is brought opposite the inspection-slot the dollar mustbe registered in some other part of the machine, and in this instance itis upon the verticallymoving registering-bar, which must be arrangedby'mechanism which I now describe to register one dollar upon thecompletion of every revolution of the registering-wheel, so as to form adetail adder on the registeringbar. It will be noticed that on the frontface of the registering-bar the amounts $1 to $20 are placed verticallyone above the other at equal distances apart. Consequently such verticalbar L must be moved an equal distance for every revolution of theregistering-wheel, and this is done by the following mechanism:

O is a bar extending across the machine and secured at each end to theend plates A. O is a cross-plate secured to the bar 0 and provided witha series of notches 0. O is a shaft extending across the machine andjournaled in the end plates, one end extending outside of one end plate,as indicated in Fig. 2. 0 are upwardly-extending pins held by thecross-shaft 0 P is a detent journaled on the cross-spindle p. Q is anupright bar which is provided with a forked upper end q, having slots q.2 is a cross supporting-spindle extending from end plate to end plate,suitably held therein and passing through the slotted forked ends of theupright bar Q. The tail Q of the bar Q extends through the notches 0 inthe plate 0, such notches thereby serving to hold the bar Q from lateraldisplacement. q is a spiral spring connected at one end to the bar Q andat the other end to the cross-bar O. The tendency of the spring g is tohold the lower part of the bar Q against the cross-spindle p. Thevertical bar L has formed on the lower front edge the ratchet-toothedrack L, which is supported in position by the spring projections 0attached to or forming part of the plate 0. The distance between thepoints of the teeth of the rack L is equal to the distance between thevertical center of the dollar-figures. g is a toe formed midway of thelength of the bar Q and extending rearwardly, as shown.

As shown in the drawing, the mechanism I is in the position so that uponthe depression of the finger-key the vertical rack will be movedupwardly, and this is accomplished in this manner:

It will be noticed that the tooth n is underneath the top of the detentP, which is curved at this side in order to provide for the easy passageof the tooth along the front edge of the detent. As the ratchet-wheelupon the depression of the key is moved around the tooth n pushes thedetent P forwardly, pressing against the bar Q, so as to throw it in theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. As the rear end of thefinger-key is brought upwardly a boss m, with a broad V-shaped upperend, comes in contact with the lower end of the tail Q of the bar Q,which is thrown forward by the detent P into alinement with the boss,and the toe now extending into the rack raises and holds such bar duringthe period that the tooth 9t is passing the upper end of the detent anduntil the finger-key is released, thus insuring that the registeringbaris not raised more than one tooth for each revolution of theregistering-wheelthat is, a space arranged in relation thereto to be thedistance between the teeth of the rack or a one-dollar space. Thisincreases the number of dollars shown above the cross-bar G upon thecompletion of each revolution of the registering-wheel N. The operationhereinbefore described is of course repeated upon every revolution ofthe registering-wheel.

Although I describe the registering-wheel as arranged in reference to afive-cent key, it might with equal facility be arranged as to a one-centkey, two-cent key, three-cent key, a twenty-five-cent key, a dollar-key,or, in fact, a key of any denomination desired or desirable in anybusiness.

It is also clear that the keys of the different denominations may bearranged adjacently across the machine, and there is nothing to preventthem from all acting accurately and independently to accomplish thedetail adding, as hereinbefore described.

The vertically-moving bar I, hereinbefore referred to, is supportednormally with the key down at the rear by a boss m formed at the rear ofthe key. 11 is a tooth formed at ICO the front edge of the bar I, and t"is a rocking detent-plate extending across the machine and connected tothe rod 2' which is pivoted in the end plate of the machine, one endextending through, as indicated in Fig. 2. The upper end of the detentis held so as to have a rearward pressure by spiral springs i attachedthereto and to the end plate, as indicated in Fig. 2. It will be seenthat upon every depression of the finger-key the tablet J' will also beraised into position, so that such tablet is opposite an opening toexhibit to the purchaser the amount of the purchase. The tablet J isheld up by means of the detent-plate i, the top of which enters beneaththe tooth i when such tooth has passed the top of the plate, thuspreventing the tablet from descending upon the finger-key resuming itsnormal position.

In order to provide that when each tablet is raised the preceding oneraised will drop, I provide the following simple device: I is a rod thelower end of which is provided with a lateral offset 1?, which is heldagainst the stop formed on the end of the plate I by the tension of thespring I is a stop-pin extending outwardly from the plate I I is a rodheld in the end of the cross-shaft E outside of the end plate A. 3 is abar having the front end pivotally connected to the lower end of the barand the rear end supported upon the offset 2". The rear end has a jog 4,which normally abuts the offset 7 in the front thereof. 5 is a beveledend extending from the jog 4 rearwardly. It will now be seen that uponthe depression of any lingerkey, as the shaft E is caused to turn in itsbearings on account of the depression of the rod E the bar E will bethrown in the direction indicated by arrow, carrying with it the rod IAs the bar 3 moves backwardly it is raised by the pin I at the rear end,so that the jog 4 escapes the offset 1'', and thereby releases thebottom of the rod I thus allowing the detent at the upper end to resumeits normal position under the tooth t' of the sub seqnently-raised barI. During the period that the rod I is being carried backwardly at thebottom the detentplate 1." is drawn away from contact with the bar I,and conse quently the preceding tablet raised is allowed to drop onaccount of not being held up by any finger-key.

All the tablets across the machine are ar ranged in the same way as totheir supporting-bars, it being clear from what has been beforedescribed that when one tablet is raised into position by itscorresponding finger-key the tablet formerly raised will drop as the topof the detent-plate is pushed out of contact with the tooth 2' formerlyraised by the finger-key.

In order to insure the finger-key being raised at the front to-itsnormal position, I provide a cross-rod E, which extends in front of thecross-shaft 0 close to the finger-key throughout the entire width of themachine.

Each end of the cross-bar E is turned inwardly to form an arm E which issecurely fastened in the cross-shaft E by a set-screw e or any othersuitable fastening device. It is a spiral spring connected at one end tothe arm E at each end of the machine and at the other end to the endplate A. The nor mal tendency of the springs, only one of which isshown, is to exert an upward pull upon the rod E and thus should any keybe depressed throw the finger end of the key up again, restoring therear end into its normal position, as shown in the drawings.

I provide a bell R, which is suitably held on the plate M. r is a rodwhich is fastened at the upper end to the cross-shaft E and at the lowerend is L-shaped. The extreme end of the arm *1" is beveled. r is aspring-hammer which is securely fastened to the plate at T and r is aninclined guide, also securely fastened to the plate M and underneathwhich the hammer has movement. Upon depress i-ng a finger-key the rod Ebeing also depressed, turns the shaft E, and the bottom end of the rod1' on the shaft coming in contact as it turns with the stem of thespringhamnier pushes such hammer backwardly until the downward inclineof the plate 1' relieves such stem from the end of the rod 0', when thehammer springs forward and strikes the bell. This, it will be readilyunderstood, will occur on the depression of any key of the series.

In order to release the drawer and allow it to be moved forwardly bymeans of a back spring in the case behind the drawer, I provide thefollowing mechanism. I do not show the spring for operating the drawer,as it is verycommonly known and understood in this class of machines. Sis a bar pivoted at the rear inside of the end plate A. The bar Snormally rests upon the cross-bar D and is provided at its front endpreferably with a hanger S, beveled at the bottom downwardly from frontto rear. T is the drawer, and tis a plate secured on the top edge of thedrawer and in front of which the rear end of the hanger S abuts when thedrawer is closed, so as to prevent the drawer from sliding open in thedirection indicated by arrow.- E is a downwardly -eXtending rod securedin the cross-bar E near the end plate A and provided with a lowerinclined end As the fingerkey is depressed and the shaft E turned, ashereinbefore described, the inclined end 6 of the rod is thrownunderneath the end of the pivoted bar S, thereby raising it on its pivotand releasing the plate 25 from the bottom end of the hanger S,whereupon the spring at the back of the drawer will throw it open. Thisof course occurs, it will be understood, upon every depression of thefingerkey. The drawer is readly pushed back as the plate in returningpasses under the beveled end of the hanger S, raising it until thedrawer assumes its normal closed position.

It is essential in the operation of a cashregister that each fingerkeymust be depressed to the full extent, so that the amount of the purchasemay be registered and the drawer not opened unless the registration isefiected.

In order to provide for the full depression of the finger-key, and theconsequent opening of the drawer, I provide the following simple device:m is a pin extending laterally from the rear end of the finger-key. m isone of a series of hangers forming part of a plate M extending acrossthe machine and supported upon the bars Each hanger m is a springhangerand is curved in the form shown, so as to correspond substantially tothe curve traversed by the pin m on the rear end of the finger-key. m isa ratchet-toothed rack extending upwardly at the back of thespringhanger m and m is a notch formed in the spring-hangerimmediatelyabove the ratchettoothed rack. Upon the downward depression of the frontof the finger-key the pin m travels up the toothed rack, sliding overthe teeth, which are spring-held against it. As it passes each tooth itwill be readily understood that the front end of the finger-key cannotbe pushed upwardly again, but must be depressed until it reaches the endof the toothed rack,when the pin will pass through the notch m to thefront end of the spring-hanger on account of the normal tendency of thespringhanger being to press rearwardly, and such pin will now pass downin front of the springhanger until it reaches the normal position shownin the drawings, the front end of the finger-key of course movingupwardly at the same time into position.

In orderto restore the registering-wheels and verticallyindicating-plate to zero, I provide the following mechanism: S is a disksecured on the square end I) of the shaft B. sis a notch made in thedisk. T is a bent lever pivoted at 25 upon the end plate and having apin 25 attached to the lever and designed to normally rest in the notchs. Uis an arm extending through the end of the shaft 0 and u is aconnecting-rod connecting the rear end of the lever T with the upper endof the arm U. 0 is a pin extending upwardly from the shaft 0 intoproximity with the projection 0 forming part of the plate 0. (See Fig.1.)

It will now be seen that upon raising the upper end of the lever T theshaft 0 will be turned in the direction indicated by arrow, therebythrowing the holding projection 0 out of engagement with the rack L, andas these holding projections and racks extend across the machine it willbe seen that all the vertically-moving indicating-bars will drop downinto their lowest position, so that no number will appear before theopening. The registering-wheels may as the square pint is released fromthe notch s in the disk S be also turned back to zero by inserting acrank on the square end I) of the shaft B. This is effected by the pinat, extending radially from the shaft B, coming in contact with thecatch n of each registering-wheel, so that every registering-wheel isturned until the notch s on the disk S is brought back opposite the pin75 when such pin will be caused to drop into it by means of the tensionexerted upon the arm U by the spiral spring U. When this isaccomplished, all the registering-wheels will have a blank or zeroappearing before the inspection-opening.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination the finger-keyprovidedwith a boss at or near its rear end, the registering-wheel supported ona suitable shaft, the ratchet-wheelsecured thereto, the projecting toothof the ratchet-wheel, a rocking detent pivoted adjacent to the wheel andwith which the projecting tooth is designed to come in contact, a barsuitably hung, permissible of vertical movement, located adjacent to therocking detent and having a tail spring-held in position and with whichthe boss on the finger-key is designed to come in contact and a toeextending rearwardly from the bar, the registering-bar suitably held inguides and provided with a vertical column of figures and the verticalrack formed at the lower part of same and means for holding such bar inposition upon being raised from number to number as and for the purposespecified.

2. In combination the finger-key provided with a boss at or near itsrear end, the registering-wheel supported on a suitable shaft, theratchet-wheel secured thereto, the projecting toot-h of theratchet-Wheel, a rocking detent pivoted adjacent to the Wheel and withwhich the projecting tooth is designed to come in contact, a barsuitably hung, permissible of vertical movement, located adjacent to therocking detent and having a tail spring-held in position and with whichthe boss on the finger-key is designed to come in contact, a toeextending rearwardly from the bar,the registering-bar suitably held inguides and provided with a vertical column of figures, the vertical rackformed at the lower part of same and an oblique projecting springdesigned to engage with the lower edge of for the purpose specified.

3. In combination the finger-key provided a with a boss at or near itsrear end, the registering-wheel supported on a suitable shaft, theratchet-wheel secured thereto, the projecting tooth of theratchet-wheel, a rocking detent pivoted adjacent to the wheel and withwhich the projecting tooth is designed to come in contact, the doublebar provided with a slotted upper end supported on a crossspindle,located adjacent to the rocking detent and having a tail spring-held inposition with which the boss on the finger-key is designed to come incontact and a toe extending rearwardly from the bar, the registeringbarsuitably held in guides and provided with a vertical column of figuresand the vertical rack formed at the lower part of same and means forholding such bar in position upon being raised from number to number asand for the purpose specified.

4. The combination with the registeringbar of L shape in cross-sectionat the top thereof and provided with a column of figures arrangedequidistant on the face thereof, the registering-disk, the key andkey-lever for operating said disk, suitable guides for said bar, a rackformed on the lower front edge thereof, means operated by the finger-key and through the registering disk mechanism whereby on eachdownward depression of the fin ger-key the registering-disk is rotatedone stc p, means for lifting the registering-bar one tooth of its rackon each complete revolution of said disk and means for holding theregistering-bar in its raised position after each upward movement,substantially as described.

5. In combination the registering-bar, suitable guides therefor, a rackformed at the lower front edge of the bar, the shaft, a springprojection having one end fixed in said shaft and its opposite endextending into the rack for holding the registering-bar in the raisedposition and means for rocking said shaft for throwing out the springprojection from its engagement with the rack as and for the purposespecified.

6. In combination the registering-bar, suitable guides therefor, a rackformed at the lower front edge of the bar, a spring projection extendinginto the rack for holding the registering-bar in the raised position, ashaft extending across the machine and having a pin extending upwardlytherefrom into proximity with the spring projection and means forturning the shaft so as to throw the pin against the spring projectionas and for the purpose specified.

7. In combination the registering-bar suitable guides therefor, a rackformed at the lower front edge of the bar, a spring projection extendinginto the rack for holding the registering-bar in the raised position, ashaft extending across the machine and having a pin extending upwardlytherefrom into proximity with the spring projection, a spring-held leverextending through the end of the shaft, an operating-lever extendingabove the end plate and suitably held in its normal position and aconnecting-rod between the operatinglever and the spring-held lever onthe end of the shaft as and for the purpose specified.

8. In combination, the casing, the registering-disks, theregistering-bars operated through said disks, the shaft carrying saiddisks, the means for locking said bars, and the means for simultaneouslyreleasing said bars and shaft, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the tablets and bar and supportinggnidestherefor, the springheld finger-key, the boss at the rear end of thefinger-key, the tooth on the tablet-bar and the spring-held detent-platedesigned to come in contact with the back of such tooth when the bar isthrown up by the finger-key, a rocking bar carrying said plate, a roddepending from the end of the same and having a lateral offset and meansfor rocking the bar directly by pressure upon such offset upon eachdownward movement of the finger-key as and for the purpose specified.

10. The combination with the tablets and bar and supporting-guidestherefor, the depending spring-held finger-key, the boss at the rear enddesigned to form a rest for the bottom end of the tablet-bar, the toothon the tablet-bar, the spring-held detent-plate designed to come incontact with the back of such tooth when the bar is thrown up by thefingerkey, a rod depending from the end of the detent-plate shaft andhaving a lateral offset, a bar havinga jog in it designed to normallyabut the offset and an inclined end designed to normally rest on aguiding-pin extending laterally from the frame, a rod pivotallyconnected to the front end of the bar, the shaft from which such roddepends and is secured, the bent rod spring-held and finger-key allarranged to operate as and for the purpose specified.

11. The combination with the finger-key j ourn aled on a shaft extendingfrom end plate to end plate, a supplemental shaft having a bent rodextending outwardly therefrom, the

spring for maintaining an upward pressure upon such rod, thedependingrod secured to the supplemental shaft and havinga bent end asspecified and the spring-hanger, inclined guide situated above the stemof such hanger, and the bell situated in proximity to the hangersuitablysupported as and for the purpose specified.

12. The combination with the finger-key, the supplemental shaft, thebent rod extending forwardly therefrom, the spring holding such rod witha normal pressure upward, the depending rod with inclined bent end, thelever with which such inclined end is designed to come in contact, thehanger having a beveled lower end,the spring-pressed drawer and the stopon the upper edge thereof designed to normally abut the straight rearend of the hanger as and for the purpose specified.

IVILLIAM BENTLEY.

lVitnesses:

B. Born, H. DENNISON.

